CE 319: COSH MIDTERM REVIEWER

LESSON 1: IMPORTANCE OF OCCUPATIONAL Law (OSH STANDARDS)

SAFETY AND HEALTH
 Contains administrative requirements,
WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH general safety & health rules, technical
(OSH)? safety regulations, & other measures to
eliminate or reduce hazards in the
 Occupational safety and health (OSH) or
workplace.
occupational health and safety (OHS), also
 Are meant to be implemented/enforced by
known as occupational health or
the government.
occupational safety,
 Are meant to be followed by the citizens.
 is a multidisciplinary field concerned
with the safety, health, and welfare of Accidents
people at work. Interrupts or disrupts the normal & orderly progress
of any activity & may result in injury (minor, serious
The construction industry is prone to many hazards or fatal) to people and/or damage or destruction of
and potential accidents. Construction materials, property that result to losses.
machinery, tool, and handling techniques all come
with their own dangers, that’s why health and safety What is Safety?
in construction needs to be front of mind in every  Freedom of oneself from HAZARDS.
aspect at all times. It is not a matter to be taken  Controlof hazards through injury
lightly. Prevention & damage control.
 Control of hazards to attain an acceptable
Most type of accidents which can cause death or level of RISKS.
serious injury on construction sites include falls, HAZARDS/RISKS
collapsing materials, incidents with site vehicles  HAZARDS – anything that may likely cause
and contact with overhead power lines can be personal injury or damage to property, or
avoided by implementing stringent health and their combination.
safety protocols and ensuring those protocols are
 RISKS – the degree of exposure or chances
constantly maintained.
of exposure to hazards
SEVEN MAIN PROBLEMS OF OSH IN THE
PHILIPPINES Sources of Hazards
 UNSAFE ACTS
1. OSH Standards & the implementing  UNSAFE CONDITIONS
guidelines are inadequate & not up-to-date.
2. There is a need to have training in the Samples of Unsafe Act
correct interpretation of OSH Standards for  Failure to warn/secure
the enforcing authority as well as safety &  Unauthorized operation of equipment
health practitioners.  Removing/destroying safety devices
 Using defective equipment/tools
3. There is weak enforcement of OSH
 Using PPE improperly
Standards.
 Improper placement/lifting/loading
4. Statistics does not give reliable data, due to  Horseplay
low rate of compliance, absence of strict  Operating at improper speed
penalties, fragmented OSH administration.
5. There is lack of OSH facilities & lack of Samples of Unsafe Condition
trained OSH personnel.  Inadequate guards/barriers
6. There is low priority given to OSH.  Defective tools/equipment/materials
 Congestion or restricted body movement
7. Lack ofeducation & awareness on  Inadequate warning systems
OSH among workers & management.  Fire/explosion hazards
 Poor housekeeping/disorder
IMPORTANCE OF OSH  Noise/radiation exposure
1. It is mandated by law.  Extremes of temperature/ventilation
2. It preserves the lives of workers & the
company WHAT IS CONSTRUCTION OCCUPATIONAL
3. It is a form of motivation SAFETY AND HEALTH (COSH)?
4. It creates understanding  The Construction Occupational Safety and
Health (COSH) is a 40-hour extensive
Article XIII Section 3 of Phil. Constitution program that will give participants basic
knowledge in the analysis of hazards and
 The state shall afford full protection to labor,
risks,
 They shall be entitled to security of tenure,
accident investigation and its corresponding
humane conditions of work, & a living wage. action plan, and safety audits in the
CE 319: COSH construction industry.
MIDTERM REVIEWER
GLOBAL SITUATION OF OSH
  According to the most recent ILO global Introduction
estimates, each year, an estimated 2.78 Materials handling and storage is a technique
million workers die from occupational which includes the art of lifting, placing, storing or
accidents and work-related diseases while movement of materials through the use of one’s
an additional 374 million workers suffer from physical strength or appropriate handling
non-fatal occupational accidents. equipment.
 Of the 2.78 million work-related deaths, 2.4
million of which are related to occupational Classification of Materials Handling Operation:
diseases.  Manual Materials Handling
 This means 7,500 people die from unsafe  Mechanical Materials Handling
and unhealthy working conditions every
single day. Workplace-related deaths 1) Manual Materials Handling
exceed the average annual deaths from o Manual materials handling (MMH) means
road accidents (999,000), war (502,000), moving or handling things by lifting,
violence (563,000) and HIV/AIDS (312,000). lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, holding,
or restraining using one’s physical strength.
o MMH is also the most common cause of
Ultimately, occupational safety and health is the
occupational fatigue, low back pain and
improvement of working conditions and working lower back injuries. It is riskier than one
environments for workers to ensure their safety and might think as it could lead to strains,
health are maintained while working and provide sprains, wounds, and fractures.
compensation if a work-related injury occurs.
LESSON 2: HOUSEKEEPING 2) Mechanical Materials Handling
Steps in Organizing and Maintaining Good o As the name suggests, this pertains to use
Housekeeping: of rigid, manually or mechanically-powered
equipment mainly for handling bulky and
1. Training heavy items.
2. Creating Committees/Organization
3. Monitoring Construction Machinery (Mobile Equipment)
4. Evaluation of the Program o The use of mechanical equipment in the
construction industry improves the quality
and efficiency of work, but it can lead to
ROLES IN HOUSEKEEPING ACTIVITIES: situations which are potentially hazardous.
1. Management – being on top and in o The only safe way of using mechanical
control should assume certain responsibilities.
equipment is to have properly trained
 providing adequate equipment
operators, running equipment that is well
 including housekeeping in the planning of all
maintained, and carrying out the work for
operations
which it is designed.
 including maintenance of good
housekeeping as part of individuals job
Categories of Construction Machineries:
responsibility
I. Earthmoving Machinery
 including clean-up schedule and personnel
II. Construction Vehicles
 maintaining executive supervisory and
III. Material Handling Equipment
interest
IV. Construction Equipment
2. Supervisory – position is a critical one in the
implementation of the program
I.) Earthmoving Machinery
 maintaining constant check on
o Earthmoving machineries are used to dig
housekeeping conditions
 seeing that employee maintain good out large amount of earth, dig foundations
housekeeping and excavate.
 having unusual situations corrected
or cleaned up immediately o The earthmoving machineries are of various
 planning for orderliness in all operations types like: Excavators, Backhoe, Bulldozers,
 issuing definite instructions to employees Graders, Trenchers, etc.
 insisting on clean up after every job
 1. Excavators
3. Workers – since they represent the majority will Excavators are also called as diggers.
be crucial in the total success of the program Excavators are used for:
 follow housekeeping procedures  Digging trenches
 maintain an orderly workplace  Foundations
 report to supervisors any unsafe conditions  Material handling
 Demolitions
CE 319: COSH  Heavy lifts, etc. MIDTERM REVIEWER
LESSON 3: MATERIALS HANDLING AND
STORAGE 2. Backhoe Loaders
Is a heavy construction equipment that consists of transport equipment, positioning equipment,
a tractor-like unit fitted with a loader-style unit load formation equipment, and storage
shovel/bucket on the front and a backhoe on the equipment.
back.
Common uses include:
 Excavation 1. Transport Equipment
 Landscaping  Is usedto move material from
 Breaking asphalt one location to another (e.g.,between
 Construction demolition workplaces, between a loading dock and a
 Clearing snow storage area, etc.). The major subcategories
 Lifting and positioning cables of transport equipment are conveyors,
 Material transport cranes, and industrial trucks.
 Paving roads, Ditch digging, Trenching and A) Conveyors
Foundation work are used when material is to be moved frequently
between specific points over a fixed path and when
3. Bulldozer there is a sufficient flow volume to justify the fixed
are crawlers equipped with a substantial metal conveyor investment.
plate used to push large
B) Cranes
4. Grader are used to transport loads over variable (horizontal
also known as motor grader or road grader, is and vertical) paths within a restricted area and
described as heavy-duty machine designed with a when there is insufficient (or intermittent) flow
long blade that is used in different industry sectors. volume such that the use of a conveyor cannot be
Graders are most commonly used in civil justified.
construction, roadworks and on mining sites for
creating smooth and flat surfaces. C) Industrial trucks
are used to move materials over variable paths and
5. Trencher when there is insufficient (or intermittent) flow
is a piece of construction equipment used to dig volume such that the use of a conveyor cannot be
trenches, especially for laying pipes or justified.
electrical cables, for installing drainage, or in
preparation 2. Positioning Equipment
for trench warfare. o is used to handle material at a single
location. It can be used at a workplace to
II.) Construction Vehicles feed, orient, load/unload, or otherwise
o Constructions vehicles are heavy duty manipulate materials so that are in the
vehicles designed especially for executing correct position for subsequent handling,
construction. machining, transport, or storage.

The vehicles are: 3. Unit Load Positioning Equipment

 Dumpers o is used to restrict materials so that they
 Tippers maintain their integrity when handled a
 Trailers single load during transport and for storage.
If materials are self-restraining (e.g., a
1. Dumper single part or interlocking parts), then they
A dumper is a vehicle designed for carrying bulk can be formed into a unit load with no
material, often on building sites. equipment.

2. Tipper 4. Storage equipment

A tipper is a heavy duty truck chassis fitted with an o Is usedfor holding or buffering
open- top body, used for carrying aggregate, materials over a period of time.
crushed rock, soil and other bulk materials to and IV) Construction Equipment
from construction sites. o a wide variety of relatively heavy machines
which perform specific construction (or
3. Trailer demolition) functions under power.
a large van or wagon drawn by an automobile,
truck, or tractor, used especially in hauling freight Materials Storage General Requirements
by road. Materials storage could easily be neglected at
times in actual work setting. Material should be
III) Material Handling Equipment stored neatly and orderly. A variety of ways and
o Material handling equipment is mechanical means could easily be adopted and maintained:
equipment used for the movement, storage,
control and protection of materials, goods 1. Materials should be housed in a storage room
and products throughout the process of with the following features:
manufacturing, distribution, consumption A. Have at least two exits
and disposal. B. Properly illuminated
o The different types of handling equipment C. Properly ventilated
can be classified into four major categories: D. Restricted access
CE 319: COSH MIDTERM REVIEWER
2. Materials should be stored in limited amounts.
This can be accomplished by providing special High risk establishment - refers to a workplace
storage racks of limited capacity for similar items. wherein the presence of hazard or potential hazard
within the company may affect the safety and/or
3. Materials must not obstruct alarm boxes, health of workers not only within but also persons
sprinkler system control, first-aid equipment, fuse outside the premises of the workplace.
boxes and importantly, aisles and exits.
The following are workplaces commonly
associated with potentially high-risk activities:
IRR
1. Chemical works and chemical production
Pursuant to Section 32 of Republic Act No. plants;
11058 or An Act Strengthening Compliance with 2. Construction;
Occupational Safety and Health Standards and 3. Deep sea fishing;
Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof 4. Explosives and pyrotechnics factories;
5. Firefighting;
Section 1. Declaration of Policy. -The State 6. Healthcare facilities;
affirms labor as a primary social and economic 7. Installation of communication accessories,
force, and that a safe and healthy workforce is an towers and cables;
integral aspect of nation building. 8. LPG filling, refilling, storage and distribution;
9. Mining;
Section 2. Coverage. - This Rules shall apply to 10. Petrochemical and biofuel works and
all establishments, projects and sites, and all other refineries;
places where work is being undertaken in all 11. Power generation, transmission and
branches of economic activity. distribution in the energy sector;
12. Storage, handling, and distribution center
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this for toxic or hazardous chemicals;
Rules, the following terms shall mean: 13. Storage and handling of fertilizers in high
volume;
Certified first-aider - refers to any person trained 14. Transportation;
and duly certified to administer first aid by the 15. Water supply, sewerage, waste
Philippine Red Cross or any organization management, remediation activities;
authorized by the Secretary of Labor and 16. Works in which chlorine is used in bulk; and
Employment. 17. Activities closely similar to those
enumerated above and other activities as
Competency Standards - refer to industry- determined by DOLE in accordance with
determined specifications of proficiency required for existing issuances on the classification of
effective work performance. establishments.

Covered Workplaces - refer to establishments, Imminent Danger - refers to a situation caused by

projects, sites and all other places where work is a condition or practice in any place of employment
being undertaken wherein the number of that could reasonably be expected to lead to death
employees, nature of operations, and risks or or serious physical harm.
hazards involved in the business.
Low Risk Establishment - refers to a workplace
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) - where there is low level of danger or exposure to
Accredited Training Organizations refer to those safety and health hazards and not likely or with low
which have been granted accreditation by DOLE probability to result in accident, harm or injury, or
pursuant to Department Order No. 16, Series illness.
of2001 and its subsequent regulations.
Medium risk establishment - refers to a
Employer - refers to any person, natural or workplace where there is moderate exposure to
juridical, including the principal employer, contractor safety and health hazards and with probability of an
or subcontractor, if any, who directly or indirectly accident, injury or illness, if no preventive or control
benefits from the services of the employee. measures are in place.

Equipment - refers to any machine with engine or Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) - refers to
electric motor as prime mover. establishments employing less than ten (10)
employees, and the establishments employing less
General safety and health inspection - refers to than one hundred (100) employees, respectively,
an examination of the work environment, including regardless of capitalization.
the location and operation of machinery other than
those covered by technical safety audits, adequacy Occupational Health (OH) Personnel - refer to a
of work space, ventilation, lighting, conditions of qualified first-aider, nurse, dentist or physician
work environment, handling, storage or work engaged by the employer to provide occupational
procedures, protection facilities and other possible health services in the establishment, project, site or
sources of safety and health hazards in the workplace.
workplace.
 OSH training course applicable to the industry,
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) additional forty-eight (48) hours of advanced.
Consultant - refers to a qualified Safety Officer 4
or its equivalent, duly certified by DOLE to perform Safety Officer 4 (SO4) - refers to an employee
and/or render consultative services on occupational who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour
safety and health in at least two (2) fields of OSH training course applicable to the industry,
specialization as determined by DOLE. additional eighty (80) hours of
advanced/specialized occupational safety training
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) course relevant to the industry.
Practitioner - refers to a qualified Safety Officer 3
or its equivalent, duly certified by DOLE to render Safety signage - refers to any emergency, warning
occupational safety and health services in a defined or danger signpost or any safety instruction using
and specific scope or core competency. the standard colors and sizes.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Workplace - refers to any site or location where
Standards - refers to a set of rules issued by workers need to be present or to go to by reason of
DOLE which mandates the adoption and use of their work.
appropriate practices, means, methods, operations
or processes, and working conditions reasonably Worker - refers to any member of the labor force,
necessary to ensure safe and healthful regardless of employment status.
employment.
Workers' OSH Seminar - refers to the mandatory
Personal protective equipment (PPE) - refers to eight (8)-hour module conducted by the safety
a specialized clothing or equipment designed to officer of the workplace as prescribed by the OSH
protect workers against safety and health hazards standards.
that may cause serious workplace injuries and
illnesses, i.e., protection for the body, eyes, head,
face, hands, feet, ears, etc.
LESSON 4
Safety and Health Audit - refers to a regular and LESSON 4: PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
critical examination of project sites, safety EQUIPMENT
programs, records, and management performance
on program standards on safety and health The primary approach in any safety effort is to
conducted by the safety officer. maintain or change the physical environment so
that accidents cannot occur. However, it is
Safety and Health Committee - refers to a body sometimes necessary for economic reasons or in
created within the workplace tasked with the temporary or changing conditions to safeguard
authority to plan, develop and implement OSH personnel by equipping them individually with
policies and programs, monitor and evaluate the specialized personal protective equipment (PPE).
OSH program.

Safety and Health program - refers to a set of What is PPE?

detailed rules to govern company policies, Personal protective equipment, commonly referred
processes and practices in all economic activities to to as "PPE", is an equipment worn to minimize
conform with OSH standards, including the exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace
personnel responsible, and penalties for any injuries and illnesses.
violation thereof.
These injuries and illnesses may result from
Safety officer - refers to any employee or officer of contact
the company trained by DOLE or DOLE-Accredited with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical,
Training Organization and tasked by the employer mechanical, or other workplace hazards.
to implement an OSH program, and ensure that it is
in accordance with the provisions of OSH Objective of PPE
standards. The objective of the Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) is to protect employees from the risk of injury
Safety Officer 1 (SOI) - refers to an employee who by creating a barrier against workplace hazards.
has completed the mandatory eight (8)-hour OSH Personal protective equipment is not a substitute
orientation course as prescribed in the OSH for
standards and two (2)-hour trainers' training. good engineering or administrative controls or good
work practices, but should be used in conjunction
Safety Officer 2 (SO2) - refers to an employee with these controls to ensure the safety and health
who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour of employees.
OSH training course applicable to the industry as
prescribed in the OSH standards. When to use PPE?
1. When a hazard is identified in the workplace,
Safety Officer 3 (SO3) - refers to an employee every effort should be made to eliminate it so that
who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour employees are not harmed.
2. It can be done by isolation, substitution, primary use for this class of hard hat is to
administrative and engineering controls. protect against impact hazards.
3. However, if this cannot be done since employees  Class C Hard Hats - Class C hard hats are
will always be around, the use of Personal not intended to provide any protection
Protective Equipment (PPE) is necessary. against electrical hazards. Instead, this
4. PPE can also provide that added protection to class is designed just to protect from impact
the employee even when the hazard is being hazards. In mostcases, a class C hard hat
controlled by other means. will have built-in vents to help keep the
wearer cool, which is why they are
Program to Introduce PPE commonly found in hot factories or
Once it is decided that PPE is going to be used, construction yards.
then do the following:
1. Write a policy on usage of the PPE and II. Eye and Face Protection
communicate it to employees and visitors as  Industrial operations expose the eyes to a
needed. variety of hazards, such as flying objects,
2. Select proper type of equipment. splashes of corrosive liquids or molten
3. Implement a thorough training program. metals, dust, poisonous gases or fumes and
4. Make certain that employees knows the harmful radiation.
correct use and maintenance of the  Eye injuries not only disable a person but
equipment. they can often disfigure the face. Flying
5. Enforce its use. objects such as metal or stone chips, nails
or abrasive grits cause most injuries.
Nine Categories of PPE
I. Head Protection 1. Welding Helmets
II. Eye and Face Protection -They protect the eyes and face against the
III. Ear Protection splashes of molten metal and the radiation
IV. Respiratory Protection produced by arc welding.
V. Hand Protection -Helmets should have the proper filter glass to keep
VI. Body Protection ultraviolet and visible rays from harming the eyes.
VII. Fall Protection
VIII. Foot Protection 2. Hand Shields
-A hand shield can be used where the protection of
I. Head Protection a helmet is not needed, such as for inspection
 A hard hat is one of the most common types work, tack welding and other operations requiring
of personal safety equipment. These safety little or not welding by the user.
devices provide a first line of protection from
hazards such as falling objects, projectiles, 3. Safety Glasses
bumping one's head on objects, and much -Safety glasses are equipped with side shields that
more. give you protection from hazards that may not be
directly in front of you.
What are the Different ANSI Hard Hat
Categories? 4. Face Shields
ANSI Z89.1 defines two types of hard hats and -They offer you full face protection and are often
establishes three classes of hard hats based on the used around operations which expose you to
level of electrical hazard protection provided. molten metal, chemical splashes or flying particles.

Hard Hat Types: The two types of hard hats are 5. Goggles
defined by the area of the head that is protected. -They give you more protection than safety glasses
 Type I offers protection to the top of the because they fit closer to your face. Use them in
head. situation where you might encounter splashing
 Type II offers protection to the top and sides liquids, fumes, vapors, powders, dusts and mists.
of the head
III. Ear Protection
Hard Hat Classes 1. Insert (earplug) protectors
The three classes are based on the level of  They are inserted into the ear canals and
protection they provide from electrical hazards. vary considerably in design and material.
 Class E Hard Hats - Class E hard hats are  Materials used are pliable rubber, soft or
approved for use in areas where exposure medium plastic, wax and cotton.
to electrical hazards is a possibility. To  Because each person’s ear canal is shaped
qualify as a class E hard hat, one must differently, these plugs become the property
provide the wearer with dielectric protection of the individual to whom they were fitted.
of as much as 20,000 volts.  These plugs must be fitted by a trained and
 Class G Hard Hats - Class G hard hats are qualified professional.
general use hard hats and are the most
commonly found hard hats available. They 2. Ear Muffs
do provide some protection against -They cover the external ear and provide an
electricity, but only up to 2200 volts. The acoustic barrier.
-The effectiveness of these devices varies with the
size, seal materials, shell mass and suspension of
the muff as well as with the size and shape of
workers’ heads.
-Muffs are made in a universal type or in specific
head, neck or chin sizes. Hearing protection kits
that can be used with hard helmets are also
available.

IV. Respiratory Protection V. Hand Protection

 Gases, dusts, mists, and fumes may be  Fingers and hands are exposed to cuts,
present at construction worksites. Some of scratches, bruises and burns. Although
these can make you sick or kill you if you fingers are hard to protect because they are
breathe them in. These gases, dusts, mists, needed for practically all work, they can be
and fumes are referred to as respiratory shielded from common injuries.
hazards.
 Some respiratory hazards act quickly, like Types of Gloves
carbon monoxide which can make you 1. Heat-resistant gloves are used to protect
unconscious or kill you in minutes. Other against burns and is comfort when the
respiratory hazards can take years to make hands are exposed to sustained conductive
you sick, like asbestos which can cause heat.
lung cancer decades after you breathe it in. 2. Metal mesh gloves are used by those who
work constantly with knives to protect them
against cuts and blows from sharp or rough
TYPES OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTION objects.
3. Rubber gloves are worn by electricians.
They must be tested regularly for dielectric
strength.
4. Nitrile gloves are excellent general duty
glove and they provide protection from a
wide variety of solvents, oils, petroleum
products and some corrosives. Excellent
resistance to cuts, snags, punctures and
abrasions.
5. Neoprene gloves provides moderate
abrasion resistance but good tensile
strength and heat resistance. Compatible
with many acids, caustics and oils.
6. Vinyl gloves are particularly useful when
petroleum products are handled.
7. Leather gloves are able to resist sparks,
moderate heat, chips and rough objects.
They provide some cushioning against
blows. They are generally used for heavy
duty work. Chrome tanned leather or
horsehide gloves are used by welders.
8. Cotton Fabric Gloves are suitable for
protection against dirt, slivers, chafing or
abrasion. They are not heavy enough to use
in handling rough, sharp or heavy materials.
9. Heated Gloves - are designed for use in
cold environments, such as deep freezers
and can be part of a heated-clothing
system.

VI. Body Protection

-provides protection from the following hazards:
 Heat
 Splashed from hot metal
 Impacts
 Cuts
 Chemicals
 Radiations

Types of Body Protection

• Vest (traffic, life)
• Jackets (welding, working, thermal)
 • Aprons (chemical, working)
• Coveralls (chemical, working, thermal)
• Full Body Suits (Fire, Heat Temperature) VIII. Foot Protection
The human foot is rigid enough to support the
VII. Fall Protection weight of your entire body. Without your feet and
Personal Fall Arrest System Components toes, your ability to work at your job would be
 consist of body harness, lanyards, greatly reduced.
connectors, and anchorage
 fall arrest reduces force by reducing fall Types of Foot Protection (Safety Shoes & Boots):
distance. Fall arrest equipment is required A. Steel Toe Footwear
for work at heights of 6 feet or more. B. Metatarsal Footwear
Personal Fall Arrest System Components C. Reinforced Sole Footwear
1. Body Harness: Straps which may be secured D. Latex/Rubber Footwear
on the employee in a manner that will distribute the E. PVC Footwear
fall arrest forces over the thighs, pelvis, waist, chest F. Butyl Footwear
and shoulders with means for attaching it to other G. Vinyl Footwear
components of a personal fall arrest system via D- H. Nitrile Footwear
rings. I. Electrostatic Dissipating Footwear
J. Electrostatic Hazard Footwear

A. Steel Toe Footwear -protects your toes from

falling objects and from being crushed.

2. Lanyards: A flexible strap that has a connector

at each end for connecting the body harness to an
anchorage point.

B. Metatarsal Footwear -special guards that run

from your ankle to your toes and protect your entire
foot.

C. Reinforced Sole Footwear -metal

3. Connectors: A device, which is used to connect reinforcement that punctures.
parts of the personal fall arrest system together. It
may be an independent component of the system, D. Latex/Rubber Footwear -resists chemicals and
such as a carabineer, or it may be an integral provides extra traction on slippery surfaces.
component of part of the system (such as a d-ring
sewn into a harness, or a snap-hook spliced or E. PVC Footwear - protects your feet against
sewn to a lanyard or self-retracting lanyard). All moisture and improves traction.
connectors must have locking features to avoid
unclipping F. Butyl Footwear - protects against most ketones,
aldehydes, alcohols, acids, salts, and alkalis.

G. Vinyl Footwear -resists solvents, acids, alkalis,

salts, water, grease, and blood.

H. Nitrile Footwear -resists animal fats, oils, and

chemicals.
4. Anchorage: An engineered and designed point
of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or deceleration I. Electrostatic Dissipating Footwear -conducts
devices. Anchorages must be able to sustain a static electricity to floors that are grounded.
5,000
lb pull force for each person tied off to it. J. Electrostatic Hazard Footwear -insulated with
tough rubber to prevent shocks and burns from
electricity

LESSON 5
CHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOR OF FIRE
Body Belts What is Fire?
Are used to restrain individuals in hazardous work
positions, reducing fall risk but increasing internal FIRE is a chemical reaction between flammable
organ damage. They should only be used for materials and oxygen, often referred to as "rapid
personal positioning. oxidation with the evolution of light and heat." To
create a fire, fuel, heat, and oxygen must be
present simultaneously. Understanding basic fire
chemistry is crucial for fire prevention and control Prevented by grounding, bonding, ionization and
problems, as illustrated by the fire triangle. humidification.

7. Chemical Action -Chemical processes getting

out of control, chemicals reacting with over
materials, and decomposition of unstable
chemicals. Prevented by proper operation,
instrumentation, and controls, and by careful
handling and storage, particularly avoiding
conditions of heat and shock.

Fuel
A fuel is any substance, which will combine in the
presence of heat - that is, a fuel is "something that EXTINGUISHMENTS OF FIRE
will burn". Most ordinary fuels are compounds of There are basically four ways a fire can be
carbon and hydrogen; yet even metals, which are extinguished:
not normally considered fuels, can be burned in 1. Removing Fuel
some forms in an atmosphere of pure oxygen. It Fire will continue to burn until there is no more fuel
must be apparent that substances, which have to burn. Often, taking the fuel from a fire is not only
already been combined with oxygen to a normal or difficult but also dangerous. Fortunately, there are
maximum extent, cannot serve as fuels. Flammable exceptions.
and Combustible Material: Flammable materials a. When flammable gasses catch fire as they are
have a flash point below 100°F or 38°C while flowing from a pipe, the fire will go out if the fuel
combustible materials have a flash point at or supply can be cut off.
higher than 100°F. Flashpoint is the lowest b. Flammable liquid storage tanks may be arranged
temperature at which a substance produce so that their contents can be pumped to an isolated
flammable vapor. empty tank in case of fire.

Sources of Heat: 2. Excluding or Limiting Oxygen

1. Electricity -The leading cause of industrial fires. Extinguishment by separation of oxygen from fire
Most start in wiring and motors. Most prevented by can be accomplished through smothering the
proper maintenance. Special attention needed for burning area with non-combustible material, such
equipment at hazardous processes and in storage as covering with wet blanket or throwing dust or
areas. sand on the fire.

2. Smoking -A potential cause of ire almost 3. Cooling

everywhere. A matter of control and education. A third way to put fires out is to remove heat from
Smoking strictly prohibited in dangerous areas, the fire. That is why water is sprayed on fires. The
such as those involving flammable liquids, water absorbs the heat from the burning materials
combustible dusts or fibers and combustible and lowers their temperature. Once the
storage. Permitted in clearly designated sate areas. temperature drops below the kindling, the fuels stop
burning.
3. Friction -Hot bearings, misaligned or broken
machine parts, choking or hamming of material and 4. By interrupting the Chain Reaction
poor adjustment of power drives and conveyors. For fire to continue to propagate, there must be an
Prevented by a regular schedule of inspection, uninhibited chain reaction. If we stop this reaction
maintenance, and lubrication. then the fire will die out. This is accomplished
through the application of extinguishing agents
4. Cutting and Welding -Sparks, arcs, and hot such as chemicals and halons, which work by
metal from cutting and welding operations. interrupting the chemical flame-chain reaction.
Prevented by the use of the hot work permit system
and other recognized precautions. CLASSES OF FIRES
The classification of fires is based on the type of
5. Spontaneous ignition.-In oily waste and materials fire feeds on.
rubbish, deposits in dryers, ducts and flues,
materials susceptible to heating and industrial 1.Class "A" Fires
wastes. Prevented by good housekeeping and They burn wood, paper, dried grass, charcoal, etc.
proper process operation. Remove waste daily. Some call them the ordinary combustibles. The “A”
Frequently clean ducts, flues, and isolated storages fires are technically known as carbonaceous fires.
subject to spontaneous heating. They leave ashes and ember after the primary
flame is out.
6. Static Electricity -Ignition of flammable vapors,
dusts, and fibers by discharge of accumulation of 2. Class "B" Fires
static electricity on equipment, materials or the Also called the surface fires. They burn Oil,
human body. gasoline, kerosene, LPG, chemicals, alcohol, paint,
thinner, turpentine, etc. The basic characteristic is
that they do not leave any ashes or ember after the
primary flame is out. Pour gasoline or oil on water
and light it up and It will surely bum.

3. Class "C" Fires

These fires are caused by electricity or they are
fires that have electrical current in it. As they spread
they feed on the " AB" materials for sustenance. To
be safe, one must consider any fire with electrical
current as "C" fire primarily all the time. The AB is 2. Provide for Early Detection of Fire
second in this particular case faulty electrical Most fires start small and can be extinguished
wiring. easily. However, if they gain momentum, they can
escalate into disastrous conflagrations. Prompt fire
detection and alarm signaling are crucial, warning
evacuation and summoning firefighting personnel.
Employees should be trained to act effectively
when detecting a fire, as many people initially try to
4. Class "D" Fires extinguish it, leading to delays in sounding the
Fire in combustible metals such as magnesium, alarm. All employees should be trained to sound
zirconium, and sodium. Normal extinguishing the alarm and take action if possible.
agents generally should not be used on fires of
these materials because of the danger of 3. Prevent the Spread of Fire
increasing the intensity of the fire. Special Fires should be contained to the smallest area
techniques, extinguishing agents, and extinguishing possible to prevent their spread. This can be
equipment have been developed to control fires achieved through construction details and safe
involving these metals. practices, but understanding heat transmission is
crucial. Heat can be transmitted through
In the absence of modem fire extinguishers, the conduction, convection, and radiation, and can also
following materials can be used to stop fire in its spread through fuel contact. Materials vary in their
initial stage. ability to transmit heat, with metals being good
-For "A " fire, water is the best extinguish ant. conductors and insulators being poor. However,
-For "B" fire, a metal cover, wet sack, towels, cloth, there are no perfect insulators of heat, as all
or blanket will do. Sand and soil are very useful. materials will conduct heat to some extent.
Water is prescribed only in amount large enough to
overwhelm the flame. Convection Currents occur in fluids-that is, liquids
-For "C" fire, the main switch is the first and gases. When water is heated, it expands and is
consideration. Pull it down to cut off current then lighter than cold water. When mixed, cold water
what is useful on A and B can be useful here. moves downward and pushes the hot water up.
Never, never, douse water on "C" fire. Water is Similarly, when a gas is heated, it expands; and is
good conductor of electricity and it can kill the therefore lighter per unit of volume, The cold gas,
firefighter instantaneously. being heavier per unit volume, moves in and
displaces (pushes upward) the hot gas.

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE PREVENTION AND Heat rays, like light, travel in a straight line and are
CONTROL not absorbed by air or transparent substances like
Protection from, and prevention and control of, is glass. Instead, they are absorbed by opaque
extremely technical and complex. Still the subject objects. Heat sources emit radiant heat, which
can be condensed or summarized into five increases with temperature and decreases with
objectives or statements: distance. Increasing the distance between the
source and the object decreases the possibility of
1. Prevent the Outbreak of Fire fire, as the heat intensity increases with
Ordinarily, oxygen is the most difficult of the three temperature.
factors to control, since it is in the air and is a
necessity of life. But fuel and heat can be Moreover, it is not always possible to extinguish a
controlled, and therefore the simplest control fire promptly. Barriers are one means of control that
measures will have to do with glue and heat. will limit the area of a fire or at least retard its
Actually, control in this sense merely means spread. The following covers only some of the bare
keeping them separated. essentials: 1) Fire waits, 2) Fire doors; 3) Shutters
or louvers; 4) Fire stops; 5) Baffles; 6) Fire
It is well to examine the hazards from which most dampers: 7) Fire windows; 8.) Parapets; 9) Dikes;
fires originate. These are sometimes described as and 10) Enclosures of vertical openings.
"causes," but actually they are part cause and part
source. While there are many possible causes or 4. Provide for Prompt Extinguishment of Fire
sources, of fires, an analysis or reported data will Fires can be extinguished by eliminating the fuel,
reveal that most fires are produced by a relatively the oxygen, or the heat
small number of them.
Fire Fighting Facilities
Fire fighting requires an adequate water supply
capable of supplying all systems for eight hours.
Tanks, reservoirs, and pumps should be protected
to prevent fires in the workplace. Hydrants should
be of the same type and size as those used by the
local public fire department and protected from
mechanical damage. Hoses should be thoroughly
drained and dried after use and tested at least
every four months.

Fire extinguishers fall into two categories:

 Permanent fire extinguishers like
standpipes, hoses, and automatic sprinkler
systems are crucial for reducing fire danger.
Installation and maintenance are technical
matters, and safety personnel should seek
competent assistance. Regular inspection
and maintenance are essential for
maintaining these systems.

 Portable fire extinguishers, also known as

'first aid' fire extinguishers, are designed for
specific classes of fires and have limited
supply of extinguishing medium. Each type
has its own value and effectiveness, and
should be regularly inspected and
maintained.

Figure 2. Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers

To be effective, portable fire extinguishers must
be:
a. Reliable extinguishers, carrying the approval
label of an internationally recognized testing
laboratory, should be used.
b. The right type of extinguisher should be provided
for each class of fire that may occur in the area.
c. There should be enough units to afford
protection for the area.
d. Extinguishers should be located where they will
be readily accessible for immediate use.
e. Extinguishers should be maintained in perfect
operating condition, inspected frequently, checked
against tampering, and recharged as required.
f. Personnel should know the location of
extinguishers and be trained to use them effectively
and promptly.

5. Provide for the immediate Evacuation of

Personnel
In a fire, the first step is prompt evacuation of
personnel to a safe place. Fire drills should be
conducted to train people in evacuation order. Exits
that empty the structure quickly should be
prioritized to prevent loss of life or injury. Occupants
should be educated on escape behavior principles,
including knowing where to escape, knowing two
ways out, getting out quickly, practicing escape,
and checking safety behaviors like feeling doors
and crawling under smoke.